Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely young daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.

The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of this just in…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me. It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!

For those making resolutions, I think most of us are still in full-on “I can do this!” mode. After all, it’s only two weeks into 2012. Without doing any scientific research I’d bet that every year the promise made by most is to lose weight and/or exercise more. Paying attention to your pet’s weight was indeed mentioned in the resolutions suggested by Dogster.com.

Resolutions or not, this time of year is probably the most important to consider Fido’s fitness. Admit it: our dogs get nice, long, leisurely walks during the pleasant seasons. But when the wind chill is sub-Arctic those walks turn in to quick runs to “do the duty” and head back home to a nice warm sanctuary.

Have you thought about why Poochy is getting paunchy? Ernest Ward, D.V.M., is a practicing veterinarian, author, speaker and athlete who is dedicated to helping pets and their humans live healthier lives. His past web chat may help you understand why.

Are you looking to increase your fitness level along with Rocky? Anyone who has time to walk the dog has time to work on fitness, according to Tricia Murphy Madden.

As I’ve mentioned more than once in The Barking Lot, our wonderful neighbor feeds his dog Mickey only high-quality, vet-approved “people food” and nothing that is manufactured for dogs. This blog shares some food for thought as well as canine-friendly recipes that you might find useful in helping your dog slim down.

Finally, if you’re confused about all the information that’s out there, some dog nutrition myths are debunked here.

Good luck and here’s to the healthiest year yet for you & your furry friend!
---Jennifer Fischer

Thanks, Jennifer!

It's time for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

Clad in tiny replica of Japanese police outfits, female toy poodles, one-year-old Karin, left, and two-year-old Fuga, are presented to the media on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 at the Tottori Prefectural Police headquarters in Tottori, Japan. In an effort to strengthen public relations, the Tottori prefectural police appointed two female toy poodles as honorary dispatch section chiefs on Jan. 10, Dial 110 Day. The number 110 is a hotline to contact the police in case of emergency in Japan. Photo: AP

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